Anthony Keinath

Professor of Plant Pathology
Research and Extension Vegetable Pathologist
Horticulture Program Team, Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, Coastal Research and Education Center

Office: Coastal REC, Charleston, SC
Phone: 843-402-5390
Fax: 843-571-4654

Email: tknth@clemson.edu

Educational Background

Ph.D. Plant Pathology
Cornell University 1988

M.S. Plant Pathology
Cornell University 1985

B.S. Botany-Honors
Michigan State University 1982

Profile

I a vegetable pathologist with a faculty appointment of 80% research and 20% Extension. The focus of my program is sustainable disease management for vegetable crops. My area of expertise is diseases of cucurbits. Six M.Sc. and four Ph.D. students have graduated under my direction. I was the lead editor of the Compendium of Cucurbit Diseases and Pests, 2nd edition, APS Press, published 2017.
In 2018 I received the Godley-Snell Award for Excellence in Agricultural Research from Clemson University. In 2020 I received the Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award from the American Phytopathological Society--Southern Division. In 2023 I received one of the inaugural Outstanding Specialist Awards from the South Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents and was named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society.

Research Interests

My research focuses on sustainable disease management for vegetables. Successful management strategies should be effective, economical, and environmentally responsible. My research interests include management, ecology, and epidemiology of fungi, oomycetes (water molds), and other plant pathogens. My area of expertise is the fungus that causes gummy stem blight on cucurbits, Stagonosporopsis citrulli (formerly Didymella bryoniae). Crops studied include the cucurbits watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon, and squashes; the fruiting vegetables eggplant, pepper, and tomato; the leafy brassicas kale, collard, and mustard; and others as needed.

Current research projects include resistance to fungicides in fungal pathogens; fungicide efficacy against anthracnose on watermelon, downy mildew on cucumber and squash, and southern blight on sunchoke; ecology and management of Pythium spp. on vegetables; management of anthracnose fruit rot on peppers; management of Phomopsis fruit rot on eggplant. Disease surveys are being conducted on muskmelon, pickling cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin, winter squash, and gourds.

Lab Members

Sierra Zardus, B.S., lab manager
Anna Mothersbaugh, Ag Associate
Rob Last, B.S., M.S. student

Extension and Outreach

The goal of my Extension program is to help people solve problems with their plants. The primary audience is small and large vegetable growers in South Carolina. Urban plant problems in the greater Charleston area also are addressed.

My Extension outreach includes grower, agent, Master Gardener, and home gardener education; vegetable disease management recommendations for conventional and organic growers; and vegetable disease diagnosis. I contribute yearly to the Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Since 2014 I am a tri-weekly gardening columnist for The Post and Courier newspaper, Charleston, SC.

Publications

1. Keinath, A. P. 2024. Productive specialty eggplant cultivars suitable for small farms in the southeastern coastal plain. HortScience 59(5):624-631.
2. Keinath, A. P. 2024. Inoculum density-dependent, additive effectiveness of fungicides or biofungicides with cultivar resistance for integrated management of Cercospora leaf spot on beet greens. Crop Prot. 180:106644.
3. Keinath, A. P., Rennberger, G., and Wechter, W. P. 2023. Widespread resistance to tebuconazole and cross-resistance to other DMI fungicides in Stagonosporopsis citrulli isolated from watermelon in South Carolina. Plant Dis. 107(12):3896-3905.
4. Keinath, A. P. 2023. Congruent and differential responses of Pseudoperonospora cubensis clades 1 and 2 to downy mildew fungicides. Plant Health Progress 24(4):405-410.
5. Keinath, A. P., and Hajihassani, A. 2023. Grafting tomato to manage southern blight, prevent yield loss, and increase crop value. Plant Dis. 107(10):3064-3070.
6. Keinath, A. P., Colburn, G. C., and Yang, X. 2023. Differential susceptibility of two Citrullus amarus pollenizer watermelons to five species of Pythium and Globisporangium. Plant Dis. 107(9):2620-2623.
7. Keinath, A. P. 2023. Eggplant fruit periderm firmness correlated with resistance to Phytophthora nicotianae. Plant Health Prog. 24(2):148-154.
8. Seblani, R., Munkvold, G., and Keinath, A. P. 2023. Gummy stem blight: one disease, three pathogens. Mol. Plant Pathol. 24(8):825–837
9. Toporek, S. M., Branham, S. E., Keinath, A. P., and Wechter, W. P. 2023. QTL mapping of resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis Clade 2, mating type A1, in Cucumis melo and dual-clade marker development. Theoret. Appl. Genet. 136:91.
10. Kikway, I., Keinath, A. P., and Ojiambo, P. S. 2023. Within-season shift in fungicide sensitivity profiles of Pseudoperonospora cubensis populations in response to chemical control. Plant Dis. 107(5):1377-1385.

Links

LinkedIn profile
Google Scholar publication list
Compendium of Cucurbit Diseases and Pests, Second Edition
Watermelon Fungicide Guide
The Post and Courier gardening columns

Meet Anthony Keinath